Trap



May, 26, 1953 G. w. oAKEs 2,639,539

' TRAP Filed Feb. 8, 195o f I 15+ 24 'l /9 1l o l /6 /t Ufa' 20 5 '57 /5 2B /7 1 l. MNHN Lgs I lll. l m 25 27 2/1/4 22 Patented May 26, 1953 yUNITED STATES lPATENT OFFICE f TRAP George W. Oakes, Crystal City, Mo.

Application February 8, 1950, Serial No. 143,035

2 Claims.

rlhis invention relates to an animal trap and has especial reference to the type of trap disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 92,705, filed May 11, 1949, now Patent No. 2,577,354-, patented on December 4, 1951.

The principal object of the present invention is the addition of special means to a trap of the type mentioned which enables a person to set the trap by the mere act of moving the spring actuated pivoted jaw into its open position; and said means requiring only slight effort by a mouse to spring the trap.

A preferred embodiment of the improvement is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a central longitudinal sectional View oi a trap embodying the features of the present invention, the trap being shown sprung;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing the4 vtrap set;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the trap sprung;

Fig. 4 is a "fragmentary plan view showing the trap setting parts in the set relation; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective of parts of the trap setting means.

The trap described in the above identiied Ratent comprises four main parts I0, II, I2 and I3 as follows:

The part Ill in the nature of a ibase consists of a plate I4 having an upstanding marginal flange I5 extending all around the plate except at the rear end, The iiange I5 is serrated at the front end of the plate and partly around the sides to provide teeth on the flange constituting a xed jaw II. Pairs of lugs are upstruck from the plate I4, there being a pair of lugs I8 and a pair of lugs I9. The lugs I8 have notches 20 therein and the lugs I9 have notches 2| therein. By notching the lugs in the manner shown they serve as hooks. The flange l5 has slots 22 therein at opposite sides of the plate I4. The slots 22 are in transverse alinement with respect to the longitudinal axis of the plate I4.

The part II consists of a single piece of stout wire bent to provide a loop 23 and a trigger setting loop 24 in continuation of the loop 23, as a single element of L shape. The loop 23 constitutes a jaw, and the loop 24 constitutes manipulatable means for setting the jaw 23. The wire is bent into offsets at the juncture of the loops to provide pivots 25 in axial alinement with each other. The pivots 25 are receivable in the notches 2D respectively thereby mounting the part or element II and therefore the loops 23 and 24 for pivotal movement with respect to the plate I4.

By reason of the pivotal movement of the elementv I I, the jaw 23 is movable into an open and closed position with respect to the xed jaw I1.

The part I2 .is in the nature of a trigger and bait holder and is constructed from a single piece v of sheet metal to provide an elongated portion 26,

a rebent notched front end portion 2l, and a relatively wide rear end portion 28. The portion 26 has an opening 29 therein and upstanding side flanges 3i! with notches to provide projections 3|. The portion 2l provides hooks or the like constitutng bait holding means. Bait is indicated at 32 in Fig. 2. The porti-on 2'I slants forwardly and with respect to the portion 26 making it possible for the par-t I2 to rock on the plate I4 so that the projections 3l have a certain amount of arcuate movement as the part I2 is rocked on the plate l I4. The slots 22 are large enough to allow the part I2 to rock without interference from the projections 33.

The part I3 consists of a contractile helical spring which has one end connected with the lugs I9, as at 34, and its opposite end in the form of an eye 35 is connected with the loop 24 by means of a piece 36 of sheet metal secured to the loop 24 crosswise thereof in any suitable manner. 'I'he opening 29 accommodates the spring I3 and lugs I9. In the present instance the piece 36 has its opposite side and rear edge portions wrapped around porti-ons of the loop 24. The piece 36 thus secured constitutes a catch which cooperates with the projections 3| for setting the trap. The eye 35 is received in a hole in the catch piece 36. The spring I3 is placed under tension when the jaw 23 is in its open position, and the spring reacts forcefully to snap the jaw 23 into its closed position when released from its open position as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.

In accordance with the present improvement, the catch piece 36 has applied thereto a manipulating member 3'1 for setting the trap. The member 31 ismade of sheet metal which is cut and bent to provide a small flat plate 38 with a hole 39 and a downwardly and forwardly extending transverse edge portion 40 integral with the plate 38. The member 3'I is substantially J shape in cross-section. The eye 35 is engaged in the hole 39 connecting the member 3'I to the loop 24 with the plate 38 overlying the catch piece 36. and

The portion 28 3 with the portion 4E underlying the catch piece 35. The member 3l thus applied has limited pivoting and rocking movement with respect to the loop 212. In other words, the member 31 is loosely connected so as to have a certain amount 5 of free play for reasons to appear.

In order to set the trap when the parts are in the relation shown in Fig. 1, a backward and downward pull is exerted on the plate 38 of .the manipulating VmemberrSI `fwith thetthumb noione.P 10 hand Whileth'e trap is'held withthe"other'-hand: When the member 3'I is pressed downwardly, the portion 40 encounters and bears down on the-4r rear end portion 28 of the trigger I2. This causes the trigger to rock slightly into a position in which 15 the forward transverse edge of the@cati'zlifpiece-2 36 is snapped under the projectionslfandis held therein by the reactive force of the tensioned spring I3, with a slight component of such'eforce,c being exerted on the projections 3l through the 20 loop 24and thecatchpiece 36:` Sinceathe member-r, 31 is -IIQtf-rigidfon'the loop v24;.it'is1quite free whenz the thumb y'is lifted, and.theretis-,no':downward,-. pressureremaining onf the-end1portion52 8 --ofythe trigger; In this manner thetrap ;is. fset-;wth'sthef 25 jaw.' 23 releasablyl vheld; in -its open-z positiom. and..- the ibait holding-means 21 of g the n trigger isgheld.- elevated-asrshown in'Fig: 2.

The manipulatingfmember; 3'!" having apcertainamount `of Ifreefplt'iyA eliminatesinterferenceuwith 30l y :theftriggerf by'A the zloopt. after; theA `trap is it set; Whenthe thumb is removedrom the plate 38.the l member31 is free-to move-.upzand on thetrigger. Onlyvak -ver-y `slight eiort is required by the animal... to springwthe trap, because the-.end "portionw231535 may move upwardly s unimpeded by Athe vloop 24: as L the bait-holding: end of -the `trigger is :pressed downwardly f for disengaging the projections z 3l from the catch piece 136;

Whenthe trapiisset, thevspringv `I3 isin` tension iO-.1.

on jalmost a dead center, ancl- AveryA little-feffort is requiredfto hold or nrelease the trig'gerel2.V Whena mousecnibblingffonthe bait exerts au slight downwardipressureon the-'trigger lI 2,.the trigger will 'rock"andrdi`sengagef the proj ections I fromW 45l the catch, piece 36. The spring `I3 instantlycauses the pivotal movement of the element II with the result that the jaw 23 is snapped into its closed position to grippingly cooperate with the jaw I'I. In this manner a mouse becomes trapped and is killed. The dead mouse may be removed by raising the jaw 23 in response to pull on the loop 24 as set forth above.

I claim:

1. A trap, including a base, a spring ,actuated jaw pivotediom said .base lforfmovement between a sprung position and a set position, a trigger mounted on said base for pivotal movement, said .trigger having a bait holding means on one end and projections thereon near its other end, said projections being disposed between the pivotal axes"of^"th`e"jaw and the trigger, a loop on the jaw, means .on-.ather'loop engageable with the projections `upon pivotal movement of the loop and triggercinto set position, and a manipulatable member connected with said means on the loop for limited :movement with respect. zthereto; said manipulatable member having: portions..l which'. respectively bearon'said means .onf they looprand` on oneend. of the trigger beyond said projections:-

in setting the jaw Aand"triggerwith'the manipue1 latablef'fmember;

2. Ay trap yas set 'forthi in claim" 1,wherein 'saidf meanszion :the loop:k consists .lof Sai.' catch". pieceaof/.

sheetimaterial having.: van edge'whicliiis engager-:w

able -with'said lprojecticm'sf.v

GEORGE'W.`1OAICES.}

References VCited 'in'. the file ,of 'this patenti UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name:v Date 1,830,261- Bunkerl Nov."3; 1931: 1,919,527 Orr July="25-1933" 2,191,274 Dockerr- Fe'b: 20,` 1940. 2,311,178 Jorgensen Eeb. 16,219.43? 2,577,354v Oakes Dc: 4; 1951 2,560,422V Horne:v` Julyji'10gf1951..

FOREIGN PATENTS.:

VNumber CountryV Date 202,081?. Great'Bi'ltain AugJz 16,:v 1923 

